All About Tempeh (and a Killer Salad)

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All About Tempeh (and a Killer Salad)

No food is more closely associated with veganism, at least in the popular imagination, than tofu (with the possible exception of sprouts). Versatile and nutrient-dense though tofu is, I’ve always thought that it is unduly favored over its fellow soybean-based cousin, tempeh. Today, I’m here to argue that you should get to know tempeh if you haven’t already, and I’m sharing a recipe that I hope will help you to fall in love with this nutritious and unusual ingredient.

While I was researching tempeh a little for today’s Food52 column, I was surprised to learn that tempeh is Indonesian in origin, and not Chinese (like tofu). Soybeans may have been farmed in China as early as the 11th century B.C., but the first written records date to around 2000 B.C.. By the first century A.D., soybeans had spread to Korea, and by the 7th century, they were being cultivated in Japan. Ultimately, they spread to Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal and northern India. The earliest written reference to tempeh dates back to the 19th century, though it is likely that it was a traditional Indonesian food for many years before that.

Tempeh is made by fermenting whole, cooked soybeans with Rhizopus oligosporus, a mold that encourages the growth of Bacillus subtilis (a bacteria that may be used as a beneficial probiotic). The world “mold” is far from appealing, but the process of tempeh making, honed through time and practice already, is now conducted under safe and controlled conditions. The fermentation process binds tempeh together into blocks (traditionally, it was wrapped in banana leaves throughout this process), and it can subsequently be sliced and used in stir fries, on salads, or however you like.

A four ounce serving of tempeh contains 20 (!) grams of protein, about 20% of your daily RDA iron, and about 10% of your RDA of calcium. It also contains nearly half of the official RDA of fiber (11 grams–though getting even more fiber than that is well worth it for many people.) Such a rich offering of nourishment is good reason for you to discover tempeh, but don’t do it for the nutrition stats. Explore tempeh because it is satisfying and delicious—and because this salad recipe is killer

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45 Responses to "All About Tempeh (and a Killer Salad)"

amazing! i LOVE tempeh!! its so nutty and rich.. totally more satisfying than tofu! it actually has a flavour and i sometimes even eat it raw. it might not be a great idea for everyones belly but i enjoy it so much. perfect paired with tamari or peanutty sauces… like satay. i am always eating a ton of it when i am in bali! yum!

Looks delicious Gena!
I started incorporating tempeh into my meals about a year or so ago, but truly fell in love with it when I ordered the BBQ Smoked Tempeh dish at The Plant in San Francisco… I still dream about that dinner, very excited to go back this May!
My husband wasn’t a huge fan at first, he found it to be very heavy. I think I have finally mastered the art of cooking it, he’s really enjoying it now! Looks like I’m about to learn much more from your Food52 post… I may have to try this for dinner tonight!!

I love tempeh! I make my own using soybeans or garbanzo beans and it’s one of my favorite vegan foods! I have the tutorial of how to make it on my site. This salad looks amazing, I will have to try it!

Thanks for the inspiration, Gena! I bought some tempeh a week ago after a veeeeeery long time of not eating it and I’m still staring at the package each time I open the fridge, totally bewildered. Gonna give this a shot.

Yum!!! So glad to see my favorite soy based food highlighted. It deserves it! Given that I love to eat uncooked tempeh, earthy taste and all, I’m obviously somewhat biased, but I think it’s one of the most bank for your buck nutritious (and satisfying and versatile and…) foods out there. And, unlike tofu and other forms of soy, due to the fermentation process and the perhaps due to grain combination/fiber – I never experience any digestive “backup” issues that I sometimes encounter with (esp.) tofu. My favorite marinade is probably a slightly modified version of Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s orange glazed tempeh (freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly grated ginger, garlic, coriander, a bit of sticky sweetener of choice.) I also like it marinaded and seared or baked in barbecue sauce or sauteed unflavored in a pan til crispy using a bit of sesame oil.

I think your experience with tempeh vs. tofu digestion is not an uncommon one, Karen! I’m glad it works so well for you (I digest it very well, too). And I agree entirely — it’s such an incredible “bang for your buck” food. Taste, versatility, and so much nutrition, all in one place.

Agreed on tempeh, I prefer it more than tofu for it’s heartier protein content, versatility, and nutty flavor. Adore adding it to raw salads or into stir fries, but I’d like to get even more creative with it.

A large number of tofu and tempeh producing companies are now offering non-GMO certified and organic products. They include Nasoya, Wildwood, Woodstock, Twin Oaks, Lightlife, 365 (the Whole Foods brand), and Mori-Nu — among many others. The GMO soy we read about as so prevalent is often the soy used in processed foods or for feed in animal ag.

As for the estrogen-mimicking, there is little evidence that soy (eaten in moderation and as part of a varied diet) is a major hormone disruptor, and a lot of evidence that it works differently from actual estrogen in the human body–though some evidence does suggest it may play a protective role in recurrence of breast cancer in women. A number of vegan health professionals have written very well on this topic. Ginny Messina is particularly knowledgeable:

Of course, no single person’s endorsement is sufficient to draw a conclusion, so I really recommend that you go on PubMed and read all of the articles cited. There are also many other articles, many of them review articles, so you should be able to find a great deal of information and draw your own conclusions. Some of the review pieces are slightly older (late 90′s), but their findings remain compelling. Note that in relatively few of these articles is a distinction made between fermented and non-fermented soy, except that some studies have examined fermented soy as a source of probiotics–which is an added plus.

It’s easy for new vegans to eat soy in unnecessary and excessive quantities, but on balance, moderate soy consumption remains a healthy part of a vegan diet. I agree with you completely that being discerning about one’s sourcing is a good idea.

Tempeh is something I like when I have it at restaurants, but rarely am ambitious enough to incorporate into recipes at home. I don’t know why, but I am definitely inspired by this recipe. The dressing looks fantastic too. Thanks!

Tempeh is very healthy for you that’s why the Asians have been eating it for centuries. The fermentation process creates natural friendly bacteria (probiotics) that are very good for supporting your digestive system.

I had never heard of Tempeh before reading your article here. Fascinating how it is derived from Soy Beans and then fermented. You would never know from looking at it. will definately be on the look out for it when eating out next.

I’m not a huge fan of store-bought tempeh. But have you tried Barry’s Tempeh. It’s made by this guy in Brooklyn who sells it frozen to stores in NYC and at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg on Saturdays. Next time you’re back in NYC, you have to try it. It’s incredible. Here’s his website: http://growninbrooklyn.com/

If you make your own tempeh (see makethebesttempeh.org) you can make it with organic or non GMO soybeans which are widely available – also, you can make excellent non soy tempeh (see makethebesttempeh.org – under Notes/experiments) , last week we made a very tasty and quite firm tempeh with hulled barley and Kamut.